“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” — The Declaration of Independence

When the Declaration of Independence asserted a fundamental right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” it didn’t apply to slaves or even a free black man. It didn’t apply to women, and often didn’t apply to immigrants. Not until the civil rights legislation of the 1960s did the laws catch up with the vision of liberty and justice for all.

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A Voice For Those Whose Rights Are Ignored

When the Declaration of Independence asserted a fundamental right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” it didn’t apply to slaves or even a free black man. It didn’t apply to women, and often didn’t apply to immigrants. Not until the civil rights legislation of the 1960s did the laws catch up with the vision of liberty and justice for all.“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” — The Declaration of Independence. ….And reality has still not caught up with the law. Attorney John Burris, who came of age during the civil rights movement of the ’60s, still finds himself busy addressing civil rights violations in 21st century America. Despite a long record of notable victories for clients stretching back over 25 years, he knows there is much work to be done. Our firm fights for justice throughout California, including Oakland, San Francisco, & Los Angeles

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Helping Citizens Stand Up for Their Rights

Our clients are people who are unable to fight for themselves. For some, previous experience with the legal system has been painful or fruitless — they have no expectation of justice. For others, a criminal record, mental illness or addiction puts them at an automatic disadvantage when alleging police abuse or workplace discrimination. At the Law Offices of John L. Burris, our mission is to give everyone access to justice. Mr. Burris has numerous million-dollar verdicts and settlements to show for it, but some of his most cherished victories have resulted in major policy changes by police departments, government entities and employers — whether achieved through a settlement agreement or mandated by the court. Contact an Oakland lawyer today at 510-839-5200. We do not charge for an initial consultation, and in many cases we do not collect attorney fees unless we win compensation.

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We will fight to protect your legal rights under the law.

The Law Offices of John L. Burris represent men and women of every race, every station in life. Our Oakland-based lawyers have represented citizens of the San Francisco Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley, Los Angeles, – throughout California in the full spectrum of civil rights and constitutional law litigation

Police misconduct, including excessive force, deadly force, false arrest, illegal searches, racial profiling or jail abuse.

Employment discrimination, including racial discrimination, sex discrimination, and wrongful termination Violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, including failure to make reasonable accommodations for the blind, deaf, and physically disabled. Civil rights abuses of people with mental illness or mental impairments. Violations of the First Amendment (free speech), Fourth Amendment (search and seizure), Eighth Amendment (cruel and unusual punishment) or Fourteenth Amendment (due process and equal protection).

About Us

Decades Of Success

Since 1985 in CA
In 1985, John L. Burris created a law firm committed to serving, largely underserved clients. While Mr. Burris's practice initially focused on criminal defense, he quickly shifted to an emphasis on civil rights litigation, particularly in police misconduct and racial and sexual discrimination in employment. Today, the firm serves the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, Central California, Los Angeles, and Southern California. With a commitment to fight for justice worldwide!

– Protecting Everyone
Over the years, John Burris, Benjamin Nisenbaum, Ayana Curry, DeWitt Lacy, and associated counsel have represented everyday people and victims of police misconduct whose names became synonymous with police reform, such as Rodney King, Oscar Grant and Theresa Sheehan. Our attorneys have also represented a number of public officials and high-profile clients: Earl Sanders, the former Chief of Police of San Francisco, recording artist Tupac Shakur, actor Del Roy Lindo, NFL player Keyshawn Johnson, NBA players Gary Payton and Jason Kidd, and Aaron Goodwin (former sports agent for NBA phenomenon LeBron James).

– Becoming a Top Firm
BNCL has been and will continue to be instrumental in social reforms of police policy, governing racial profiling, Asphyxiation, Canines, Deadly Force, Tasers, In-Custody deaths, and other inhumane practices. Our work has also changed police department protocols for crowd control tactics and handling the mentally impaired.

BNCL has been successful in identifying and rooting out police corruption and sexual abuse, including the infamous “Oakland Riders” case.

Learn More
Police Misconduct
  • Police Brutality
  • Police Shooting
  • Deadly Force
  • Excessive Force
  • Wrongful Conviction
  • False Arrest
  • Racial Profiling
  • Police Dogs
Civil Rights

The law grants every citizen equal rights— in theory. In practice, protecting your rights is a challenge— a challenge our civil litigation attorneys have devoted their entire careers to.

Employment Discrimination

The law forbids employment discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, age, religion, or medical history, including disabilities. If you’ve experienced wrongful termination or been treated unfairly at work, our employment discrimination attorneys can help.

Personal Injury

If you’ve been injured because of someone else’s action or negligence, you should consider suing. We often take these cases on a ‘contingency’ basis, which means we work for free until we win or settle your case. Our personal injury attorneys also handle wrongful death cases.

Appellate

If your lawsuit is unsuccessful at first, you have the option to take it to an Appellate Court which can overrule the initial judgment. Our appellate attorneys have a high success rate.